The present invention relates to bulkheads that are especially suited for mounting on a flatbed trailer.
Flatbed trailers are a common transport vehicle for hauling a wide range of items, ranging from heavy machinery to foundry products to packaged goods. Department of Transportation regulation §393.114 requires that every cargo-carrying vehicle be equipped with “a headerboard or similar device of sufficient strength to prevent load shifting and penetration or crushing of the driver's compartment.” This regulation defines the necessary structural aspects and dimensions of the headerboard, or bulkhead as it is referred to in the industry. The bulkhead is typically configured to be fastened to the cargo bed of the vehicle.
A typical wrap bulkhead and installation is depicted in FIGS. 1-2. The bulkhead 10 includes a top panel 12 that is welded or bolted to a front panel 13. The front panel wraps around to from opposite side walls 14. In certain bulkhead designs, attachment brackets 16 extend from the side walls for attachment to the side rails of the hauling bed. In one installation, the bulkhead 10 is fastened to the side rails S of a trailer bed T. An extendable tarping system C mounted on the trailer bed is configured to engage the bulkhead 10 to form a weather-tight seal about the cargo being shipped on the trailer.
The typical bulkhead is formed of sheet metal, such as aluminum. A single sheet of metal is corrugated to form the front wall 15 and is bent at right angles to form the integral side walls 14 of the front panel 13. The top panel 12 is separately formed in a bending operation and welded or fastened to the front panel 13. In some bulkheads, the top panel is simply a flat metal sheet welded or an box beam extending across the top edge of the front panel. Many sheet metal bulkheads require various stiffening beams on the front panel and side walls.
Although the typical bulkhead is formed of sheet metal, forming the front panel can be problematic. In particular, forming the side walls of the front panel requires a separate bending step from the corrugation process. In addition, contouring the corners of the top panel, although not complicated, is an involved process, as well as accurately mating the top panel 12 to the front panel 13. In some bulkheads of the prior art, the top rail and front panel are connected by a corner casting.
Another problem experienced by the typical bulkhead is that the corner configuration limits the turning radius of the trailer in some applications. In particular, since the side walls 14 are typically formed at a substantially right angle bend relative to the front wall 15 of the front panel 13. Where the trailer kingpin is close to the cab of the hauling tractor, sharp turns will cause the corners of the front panel 13 to contact the trailer.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved bulkhead construction that overcomes the problems and shortcomings of the typical DOT-rated headerboard or front bulkhead.